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outsmartyourshelf's review
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Rowena Snyder had a whirlwind romance with a man she met online & finds herself unexpectedly pregnant. She & Jacob decide to get married & keep the baby, & Rowena gives up her job as an editor in publishing & moves to California where Jacob's work in tech is based. Unfortunately the idyll doesn't last & Rowena is soon unhappy & riddled with anxiety about their baby. To help, Jacob brings home the beta prototype of a 'digital friend' called Maxine, which has several functions including advice mode & prediction mode. After some initial unease about using the machine, Rowena finds that she quite likes talking to Maxine & that some of her advice is pretty helpful & once prediction mode is activated, Maxine saves Rowena's life by advising her not to visit a particular food place that evening. It turns out that a road accident happens there & Rowena may have been killed if she had gone as planned, so when Maxine gives her another even more disturbing prediction, can Rowena afford not to take it seriously?
This was an unexpectedly good read. I can't believe it has under 400 ratings - it's a cracking book that's flying way under the radar. Now I'll admit that most of the reveals are not a surprise as you do pretty much know what's coming, but it's done so well. I read it in a couple of hours as it kept me absolutely glued to my Kindle waiting for the payoff when the inevitable happens & all hell breaks loose. It also has moments of humour too - I found myself laughing at some of the verging- on-extremely-inappropriate questions Maxine was asking Rowena about her marriage.
If you like well-written suspense books with ribald humour & you don't mind the odd smattering of bad language, then give this a whirl. You'll probably be pleasantly surprised by just how good it is.
This was an unexpectedly good read. I can't believe it has under 400 ratings - it's a cracking book that's flying way under the radar. Now I'll admit that most of the reveals are not a surprise as you do pretty much know what's coming, but it's done so well. I read it in a couple of hours as it kept me absolutely glued to my Kindle waiting for the payoff when the inevitable happens & all hell breaks loose. It also has moments of humour too - I found myself laughing at some of the verging- on-extremely-inappropriate questions Maxine was asking Rowena about her marriage.
If you like well-written suspense books with ribald humour & you don't mind the odd smattering of bad language, then give this a whirl. You'll probably be pleasantly surprised by just how good it is.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Sexual content and Cursing
sarah984's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Super fun "popcorn movie" techno-thriller set in the near future. Stay at home mom Rowena is struggling with mental health issues after moving across the country for her husband's tech job, so he gets her one of the company's beta "digital friends" (aka Maxine) to talk to. Things get tense as Maxine starts making disturbing predictions, and Rowena doesn't know who to trust.
There were a few things that it felt kind of silly that Maxine could do, but otherwise I had fun. The characters were well drawn and the way abuse is depicted is scarily accurate. I know it's a bit divisive but I thought the ending was great.
There were a few things that it felt kind of silly that Maxine could do, but otherwise I had fun. The characters were well drawn and the way abuse is depicted is scarily accurate. I know it's a bit divisive but I thought the ending was great.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Ableism, Blood, Death of parent, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Domestic abuse, Biphobia, Murder, Gun violence, and Violence
Minor: Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Drug use, Vomit, Suicide, Terminal illness, Cancer, Car accident, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Pregnancy, Grief, and Sexual content
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